Major League Soccer announced on December 7 the initial list of 52 college seniors from 31 Division I schools who have been invited to participate in the 2012 adidas MLS Player Combine. Providence College senior goalkeeper Jhojan Obando (Kissimmee, Fla.) is among one of four goalkeepers who was invited to the combine, which will be held on January 6-10 in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. The annual combine is a prelude to the MLS SuperDraft which will be held on January 12 in Kansas City, Mo.

The initial player list was determined by a panel of Division I college coaches, representing all conferences, who nominated and voted for players in conjunction with MLS coaches. These players will be joined by Generation adidas players, additional collegiate players from NCAA Division II and III schools, NAIA schools and Division I alternates. The final player list of approximately 66 players, including international invitees and Generation adidas signings, additional Combine coaches and team assignments will be announced at a later date.

Obando was one of the top players on the Providence squad over the last two seasons in which the Friars earned back-to-back NCAA Tournament berths. During the 2011 campaign, Obando started all 20 matches and posted a career-high seven shutouts. The co-captain had a stretch in which he recorded four consecutive clean sheets and had a shutout streak of 429:01. He earned BIG EAST Goaltender of the Week honors on September 5 and was named to the Soccer America Team of the Week on September 7.

Obando played in 44 career matches (42 starts) and helped the Friars to a 24-14-4 record and 13 shutouts over that stretch. In 2010, Obando helped the Friars to the championship game of the BIG EAST Tournament as he was named to the All-Tournament Team. He was part of three Providence teams that made the NCAA Tournament, including the last two seasons. During the last two seasons, the Friars hosted an NCAA Tournament First Round match for the first and second time in school history as they advanced to the second round each time.